Two middle pair hands.

[Griffin]

I don't know what to think about these hands. With 66-99, I feel like I'm just randomly choosing actions on every street. What hands do you put my opponents on and how I should have played my own hands? I'll post my reasoning (haha) after a few responses. Thanks.

Hand 1
9-handed Pacific 3/6 table. Hero is CO with 7/images/graemlins/heart.gif 7/images/graemlins/club.gif

UTG folds, UTG+1 folds, UTG+2 limps, MP1 folds, MP2 folds, I raise, Button folds, SB calls, BB calls, UTG+2 calls. Four to the flop.

Flop (8sb): 8/images/graemlins/club.gif T/images/graemlins/diamond.gif Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

SB checks, BB checks, UTG+2 checks, I bet, SB raises, BB folds, UTG+2 folds, I call.

Turn (6bb): 5/images/graemlins/heart.gif

SB checks, I check.

River (6bb): 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

SB checks, I check.


Hand 2
Full Pacific 3/6 table. Hero is CO-1 with 8/images/graemlins/club.gif 8/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

Folded to me, I raise, CO folds, Button 3-bets, blinds fold. Two players to the flop.

Flop (7sb): Q/images/graemlins/diamond.gif K/images/graemlins/club.gif 6/images/graemlins/diamond.gif

I check, Button checks.

Turn (3.5bb): 7/images/graemlins/club.gif

I bet, he raises, I think for 19 seconds and call.

River (7.5bb): 9/images/graemlins/heart.gif

I check, he checks.

[Griffin]

This only got a few views before being pushed to page 3, so I'm posting my thoughts as a way of bumping this and hopefully getting some help.

In hand 1 with only one limper before me I thought a raise might get me the button and blinds, so I think preflop is OK.

On the flop of course I'm going to bet when checked to, but when I get CR'd by SB I think maybe he's trying to protect his pair (8x, Tx) or a weak queen. For some reason, I felt like him having a pair was more likely than him having a straight or flush draw. With a flush draw, I would have bet from his position hoping to get two calls and a raise.

When he checks the turn, I'm still thinking he has a pair and I'm the one who needs a free card, so I take it. I also half fear another check raise.

When he checks the river, well....a flush just made and he still could have that 8, T, or Q so I check too.

He has AKo and I drag the pot.

I felt like a wimp for letting him chase his outs for free, but I didn't want to have to fold to a checkraise from a guy who might just be drawing.


Hand 2
Preflop I'm fine with.

Flop: My intent was to check raise the flop and lead the turn. If that's a stupid plan with 88 on this board against a 3-bettor, tell me.

Turn: I bet, he raises, and I almost fold. At the last second I call. I think this was a mistake.

River: I would have check-called if he'd bet. Another mistake?

I take the pot and he doesn't show.

After the flop I felt like I was playing both hands randomly. Even if I got some streets right, it wasn't because I "knew" what I was doing.

Feel free to comment on my play and/or my thoughts.
Thanks.